This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Applications No. 11-274907, filed Sep. 28, 1999; and No. 11-285664, filed Oct. 6, 1999, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention relates to a method of controlling a manufacturing process of a photoelectric conversion apparatus, particularly, to a method of controlling a manufacturing process of a photoelectric conversion apparatus that permits performing the process control easily and promptly.
In manufacturing a solar cell having a thin film semiconductor layer as a photoelectric semiconductor layer, a transparent electrode layer, a semiconductor layer and a reverse electrode layer formed in a laminated fashion on, mainly, a glass substrate. Each of these layers is scribed when formed. When the uppermost reverse electrode layer is scribed, a plurality of solar cells are formed. Further, these solar cells are electrically connected to manufacture a solar cell module.
As described above, a large number of film-forming processes, scribing processes, washing processes, etc. are involved in the manufacture of a solar cell module. It is necessary to perform these processes under predetermined conditions. Also, these processes must be performed under different conditions in order to manufacture solar cell modules of different specifications such as the size and shape.
In order to manufacture a large number of solar cell modules of different specifications on a mass production basis by performing various processes under different conditions, it is necessary to control each manufacturing process consistently.
It should also be noted that the I-V characteristics, the insulation resistance characteristics, the breakdown voltage characteristics, etc. of the solar cell module as manufactured are measured for inspecting the solar cell module. It is necessary to control consistently the results of the inspection and the individual solar cell module.
However, a system for consistently controlling the manufacturing process of a solar cell module and the results of the inspection has not yet been developed, making it important to develop such a system.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method of controlling the manufacturing process of a photoelectric conversion apparatus that makes it possible to control consistently the manufacturing process of a photoelectric conversion apparatus and the results of the inspection.
As a result of an extensive research conducted in an attempt to achieve the above-noted object, the present inventors have found that it is effective to put a mark at a predetermined position on the surface of a substrate before the film formation and scribing steps such that the mark is read in the subsequent steps so as to control all the subsequent steps.
Particularly, it is effective to put a first mark resistant to the subsequent steps at a predetermined position of the substrate such that the subsequent steps are controlled by reading the first mark and, then, to put a cheap second mark excellent in visibility such that the values denoting the characteristics of the apparatus are controlled on the basis of the second mark. In other words, it has been found that the quality of the photoelectric conversion apparatus can be controlled consistently by using two different marks. Of course, the present invention has been achieved on the basis of these findings.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling the manufacturing process of a photoelectric conversion apparatus, the manufacturing process comprising the step of successively forming a transparent electrode layer, a semiconductor layer and a reverse electrode layer in a laminated fashion on one surface of a transparent substrate, laser-scribing each of these layers as formed to form a plurality of solar cells, electrically connecting these solar cells to form a solar cell module, laser-scribing the peripheral portion of the transparent substrate of the solar cell module to electrically separate the power generation region of the solar cell module from the peripheral region to obtain a photoelectric conversion apparatus, and inspecting the resultant photoelectric conversion apparatus, wherein the controlling method comprises the step of putting a mark for controlling the manufacturing process in a peripheral region on the other surface of the transparent substrate or in that region of a side surface of the transparent substrate, which is not irradiated with the laser beam used for the laser-scribing of each of the transparent electrode layer, the semiconductor layer and the reverse electrode layer, the mark being read in the subsequent process and the subsequent process being controlled by utilizing the mark thus read.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a quality controlling system using a mark, comprising means for putting a first mark on a surface of a transparent substrate in the process of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion apparatus, means for controlling the subsequent step by utilizing the first mark put on the transparent substrate, means for putting a second mark on the transparent substrate, and means for controlling the subsequent step by utilizing the second mark put on the transparent substrate.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.